Kitsune to Jinshin
by Shinji Shazaki
Summary: Ruki is wondering what was meant that night.  Renamon is wondering why she dared to feel.  In the midst of the confusion, a new character comes to the play.  Ruki/Renamon again, so be wary.  Enjoy!
1. Kitsune to Jinshin

Kitsune to Jinshin

Kitsune to Jinshin

[A/N: A Ruki/Renamon friendship that teeters over that fine line into a romance.When the only thing you can say to the person you care most about is 'I hate you', what will you do to express your heart?Vague insertion of my works included.You'll see.Enjoy, and if you don't, bah.]

[Disclaimer: I don't own Ruki or Renamon, or all the stuff that I usually don't own, but I own what I create.]

"_I hate all digimon!_"

Renamon's azure eyes stared up towards the crescent moon.

"_I don't need you._I don't need anybody."

Sharp pangs of pain rippled through Renamon as she recalled the words her partner had whispered that day.

What was the key to unlocking her partner's ice-locked heart?Doing what she wanted did nothing, and she refused to allow herself to be a friend to anybody.

Renamon shifted her data to the shadows of Ruki's room in the house in Shinjuku.The red-haired girl was sleeping calmly, her D-Arc and battle cards hidden somewhere.

At least, Renamon hoped they were stored in a safe place…

…Instead of in the garbage that she found them the previous nights and that night as well.

Renamon slowly crouched down and reached towards the deck holder and the blue D-Arc.It always seemed wrong to do something against Ruki's will, to return the cards and digivice to her.

_Ruki-chan, please…I don't want to let anything hurt you, _the fox digimon thought solemnly.

When Ruki awoke the next morning, her battle cards and D-Arc were at her table, side-by-side once more.

Renamon's pained blue eyes had burned themselves in Ruki's memory.

"_I hate all digimon!_"

Was that really the truth, or just a fear brought by the Icedevimon?

"_I don't need you._I don't need anybody."

Was _that_ true?

Ruki stared long and hard at the cards spread out across her table, Renamon's card closest to her.

It had been a long while—forever really, since she had ever had a friend.

Renamon was the person who had come the very closest to her, the one she wanted to be at her side.

The Renamon card was one of the most powerful Rookie cards there were.A Renamon was quick and fierce—a perfect warrior with the speed of the fox.A Kyuubimon was stronger, faster—an even better warrior.

Those were the reasons she had chosen Renamon of those digimon that wished to be her partner.

But she had never chosen.

She had only claimed that she wanted one powerful digimon partner, and Renamon…

_Renamon chose her_.

Ruki laid her head onto the table, grasping the Renamon card in one hand and laying her free arm over her head with a moan.

"Renamon…"

Renamon's ears perked at the call of her name.Ruki was—no.It wasn't to summon her.There was no threat.And besides…

Ruki had cut their ties.She was nothing to Ruki any longer.

"I miss you." Ruki's gleaming purple eyes brimmed with tears, "But I don't want to be weak."

"Aw, the perfect picture of the unhappy child!" an unfamiliar voice cackled, "'Poor wittle me!I have no friends!'Blah!"

Ruki gasped and sat up, immediately demanding, "Who's there?"

She whipped her head around fast—no one was there.A dull thud resonated through the table and she looked straight ahead.

"Impmon!" she gasped, "What're _you_ doing here?"

"Gee, toots, one minute you're running the waterworks and the next you're a fireball!" Impmon laughed at his own poor joke, "Bada-boom!"

"Get lost you little rat!" Ruki yelled—suddenly grateful that her mother was at a photo-shoot and her grandmother shopping.

"That's not very nice." Impmon spoke calmly, "And what you're putting my pretty-fox-lady through isn't very nice either.You human tamers make me sick!"

"Does it look like I care about your stomach?" Ruki stood up quickly, "Now get lost or I'll throw you out myself!"

"I'm getting real sick of you, kid." Impmon frowned, "One minute you say Renamon's your friend, and the next you turn your back on her like yesterday's TV dinner."

"Get lost or else!" Ruki yelled again, "I'm sick of you digimon!"

"Don't insult us digimon!" Impmon flicked one finger upwards, the purple-red flame of his attack gleaming in the dim light of the room.

Ruki stepped backwards in shock and fear.

"BADA-BOOM!" Impmon drew back and hurled the fireball.

Ruki threw up her arms to guard against the fireball.It struck her left forearm and exploded slightly, burning Ruki's skin.

"Ow!" Ruki yelled, looking at the burn.

Impmon laughed and started to ready another attack.

"DIAMOND STORM!"

Impmon squealed in pain and rage, and then darted towards the door.

"You're gonna pay for this!" he wailed as he ran off, "I mean it!"

Ruki looked up from the burn with pained eyes, but Renamon was already gone.

Ruki felt the rising sting in her eyes and forced back the pain and tears.

Quite suddenly, Renamon's hand was around her arm.

"Here." the fox digimon said calmly, holding Ruki's arm still and rubbing burn ointment on the charred flesh.

Ruki kept her sight on her arm, refusing to look at Renamon.If she did, she would do something that made her weak.

"Why did Impmon attack you?" Renamon asked, "He has never attacked a human until now."

"How should I know?" Ruki snapped.

"Impmon doesn't quite appreciate humans as other digimon do." Renamon carefully wrapped a bandage around the burn.

_He doesn't appreciate you the way I do_.

"Renamon, why did you bother coming here?" Ruki questioned.

There was no answer.Ruki dared to glance up and froze.Renamon was looking at her with those eyes again.

"I told you before that I'll do everything I can to protect you." the fox murmured, "We're partners, Ruki."

Ruki looked away from Renamon, unsure of what to do or say.

"And I also told you that I only want to make you happy." Renamon rested her hands on Ruki's shoulders, "Tell me what I can do to make you happy."

Ruki rubbed her injured arm with her thumb, trying to think.

What _did_ she want?

"I don't want you to leave." she whispered, "You're my best friend."

_But she's more than that.What am I supposed to say?_

Somehow, just somehow, Renamon knew, and the two instinctively drew closer…

"Ruki, I'm home!"

And then, Ruki was alone, her eyes wide in shock of what would have happened if her grandmother hadn't arrived right then.

"Renamon…"

—_to be continued_—


	2. Reichi to Hanryo

Kitsune no Jinshin: Celia Hellzen Celia Hellzen 2 239 2001-11-05T05:09:00Z 2001-11-05T05:09:00Z 8 1630 9292 77 18 11411 9.2720 

Kitsune to Jinshin:

Reichi to Hanryo

[A/N: I said to be continued, didn't I?  This is a fun little fic.  Oh, and I really don't care what you say anymore.  I follow Terriermon's credo of 'mo mon tai'.  Enjoy.]

[Disclaimer: I own what I create, and I don't own what I don't.]

Ruki sat at her desk, her eyes glazed over and deaf to the rest of the world.

"_You're my best friend._"

But that wasn't true.  Renamon was more.

Ruki pressed her fingers to her lips in thought and in recollection.  Renamon had been so close to her.

"Miss Makino, are you listening?" the teacher's sharp voice finally broke through her thoughts.

"Yes sir." Ruki half-lied.

"Then what would be the answer to the question?" the teacher tested her.

Ruki paused, hoping that a guess would work.

_The Tale of Genji._

"The Tale of Genji?" she tried.

The teacher frowned and nodded—wait, where did that come from?

Renamon stared longingly through the window of the school building.  Ruki's eyes glazed over again, and the teacher let her be.

How did Ruki know the answer when she didn't even hear the question?

But why didn't she hear the question?  What was she thinking of?  Could she possibly be thinking about yesterday?

The fox slowly lowered her sight to the ground.  What had she almost done?  Why had she even tried?

Ruki was human.  Digimon weren't supposed to get involved with humans or their problems.

But why did thinking that seem so wrong?

Ruki slowly walked out of the school, staring at the ground.  Where had that answer come from?  It wasn't Renamon's voice.

Renamon…

Ruki walked to her home, her mind blank.  After the usual quick change of clothes, she headed out back into Shinjuku.

"What's wrong?  You look unhappy, little one."

Ruki looked up and around from her frozen spot.  A lone person wearing a large jacket with white slacks and holding a long wrapped item, possibly the only other in Shinjuku Park, sat on a bench parallel to Ruki.

"You've been standing there for at least five minutes, little one." the person said, "What troubles you?"

"Why should I tell you?" Ruki half-yelled, "Who are you?"

"Such a forlorn expression." the person continued to speak, "That kind of expression always speaks of the heart's duress.  What troubles your heart?"

Ruki jerked back and frowned.  Who was this person?

"I see you are a tamer." the person smiled slightly, leaning forwards with their arms wrapped around the wrapped thing, "Now I recognize your face.  You are the card master of the tournament last year."

Ruki paused and looked at her belt.  She had clipped the D-Arc and card-holder there without thinking…

"So what?!" she yelled angrily, "I hate digimon!  Take the stupid things if you want!"

She ripped the holder and digivice from her belt and threw them at the person.  They caught the digital items easily, their hand moving as a blur to catch both.

"You are upset so because you believe that the love you feel is wrong and misplaced." the person stood up, striking the long item against the ground as they did, "You need to stop worrying of whether or not a love is right or wrong, but whether it is true."

"What are you talking about?" Ruki snapped, "I'm not into all that 'love' stuff!"

"That is not what your eyes are saying." the person murmured.  They fell silent suddenly, drawing in a long breath and closing their silver eyes.

"Call her." they sighed, "Another is going to shift to this realm now."

Ruki barely could blink before the park was covered in fog, and the energy of a dimensional rift shot into the sky.

Renamon looked towards the blue energy of a digimon's appearance and tried to locate Ruki.

"_Renamon…_"

Renamon immediately shifted her data to the park.

Ruki slowly drew in a shaking breath, her eyes wide and shaking in fear.  The giant digimon—it was another Devidramon—was crouched before Ruki, its great maw open and its rancid breath sweeping across the field.

Renamon appeared beside the young human, ready to battle.

"Ruki?" she questioned—was the human ready?

Ruki took a step backwards, shaking and barely able to stand.

"Ruki, I can beat him!" Renamon insisted, "It's only a Champion!"

"CRIMSON CLAW!" the Devidramon attacked without warning, the blood-red energy aimed towards Ruki.

Renamon darted in front of Ruki and threw out her arms to take the whole blast.

Ruki's eyes widened further as Renamon was thrown towards her, her mouth dropping open in pain and shock.

Renamon stumbled as the attack's energy tore through the data inside her and then collapsed into Ruki's arms.  The human buckled under the larger creature and then fell to the ground.

"…Ruki…" Renamon whispered weakly, her blue eyes as dots in the blackness.

"Give me the cards!" Ruki turned and yelled to the mysterious person who was still inside the field, "I need to slash a card!"

"She is too far gone for a card to work." the person murmured, standing straight and tall, tossing the cards to Ruki in any case, "She will be returned to the egg form back in the Digital World."

"No!" Ruki cried, dropping the cards and wrapping her arms tightly around Renamon's neck, "I don't want you to go, Renamon!"

Renamon drew in a shaking breath and let it go in a sigh—and then froze.

"RENAMON!" Ruki screamed, her eyes brimming over with tears.

"CRIMSON…" the Devidramon drew back and began to bring its hand forwards in attack again.

Ruki took no notice to the dark digimon that was about to destroy her.

What did it matter?  Renamon was gone now.  Renamon was going to die.

Look at you.  Blubbering over data… 

Ruki sobbed harder at the words that came back to haunt her.  Digimon were so much more than data.  That stupid goggle-head was right…

She drew in a sharp gasp; Renamon's form was beginning to fade into blue flecks of light—data.

"Renamon." Ruki whispered, "Don't leave me."

I have to…Please go… 

"I love you!" Ruki yelled, "Don't leave me, please!"

"CLAW!" the Devidramon threw its deadly attack again.

"**_RENAMON I LOVE YOU!_**"

Ruki leaned over the dying fox digimon, her tears flowing freely.  What did it matter now that Renamon was dead?!  What did her life matter now?!

And yet the attack never came.

The Devidramon stared on in horror as its attack was dispersed in a scarlet flash.  It was impossible!  It had to be!  No!

The person from before held the black staff before them, the white cloth floating away on a breeze that ruffled their long silver hair.

"That's enough now." the person said, the large jacket around them disappearing in shards, revealing a long-sleeved white shirt…and…

…And wings.

The winged creature struck the staff down to the ground, a golden cross with a semi-circle attached to the top.

"I summon the spirits!" the person yelled, "I call upon the spirits of my lord to send this creature back to the depths of digital waste from which it has risen!"

The Devidramon's last view was that of Mage.

Ruki sobbed as Renamon's form slowly, agonizingly slowly vanished into nothingness.

"Shush, little one." the person rested a hand on Ruki's shoulder, "Shh."

Ruki barely heard the winged creature, and did not look up.

"Look at me, child." the person ordered firmly, but gently, "Look upon the face of the one that will save your lover."

Ruki opened her eyes in shock—lover?  Was Renamon her lover?

She looked up to the creature and gasped in awe at the gleaming white wings—those of an angel.

"I am no angel." the person held the staff carefully, "I am Mage; servant of the lord Baihumon."

"Mage?" Ruki asked weakly, her voice hoarse, "Like a sorcerer, mage?"

Mage laughed slightly.

"Perceptive, child." they—he? she? –chuckled, "Yes."

"Are you a digimon?" Ruki's hand tensed over Renamon's fading form.

"In a sense, yes." Mage calmly blinked their silver eyes, "I bring message from Lord Baihumon."

"What is it?" Ruki asked, her voice weaker than ever.

"My Lord has seen your skills." Mage replied, "He has seen your love for your lover, Renamon.  He wishes to tell you that he is deeply reminded of another pair much like you and your lover."

"I don't understand." Ruki murmured, "Who do you mean?"

"A very unfortunate child, much like you." Mage knelt down and lifted Ruki's chin to look into the human's eyes, "You know her name, do you not?"

"Are you saying that the digimon show is real?" Ruki seemed calm enough to learn the Chosen Children had existed, "That Taichi and Shinji and all the rest…?"

"Yes." Mage looked deeply into Ruki's eyes, "But that is not all my Lord wishes to say."

"What else?" Ruki's eyes again brimmed with tears—Renamon felt almost like nothing.

"My Lord has decided that the digimon Renamon is to be granted her wish." Mage whispered.

"What good will that do if she's dead?!" Ruki yelled in a rage.

"The digimon Renamon's wish was to be able to love you in a form that would be more acceptable here in the Real World." Mage whispered close to Ruki's ear, "And so my Lord has granted her that wish by giving her the gift of changing forms.  Between human and digimon."

"But she's dead." Ruki sobbed.

"I summon the spirits." Mage breathed, "I call upon the spirits to grant this digimon's wish, and to give her life once more."

Ruki did not have to turn around to see the light that appeared from the spell.

"We may meet again, Makino Ruki." Mage caressed Ruki's cheek gently, "I hope to see you and your lover in good spirits when I do."

With that, the creature known as Mage vanished.

Ruki was left in the Shinjuku Park.  It was dark, and there wasn't anymore light.  And there wasn't anymore Renamon.

But then a soft groan wavered to Ruki's ears.

Renamon had floated between death and life.  She had seen the darkness of death, and would have screamed aloud for Ruki if she could.

But a bright light, the light of life had appeared to her.

Hear our words, Renamon.  You are to stay at the girl's side, and you will love her.  She will love you.  Your wish has been granted.

Thank you, Lord Baihumon.  Thank you, Mage.  I shall, and we shall come to the Western Sector to thank you one day.

Return now.

Thank you.

And quite suddenly, she was alive.  But she was in a human body, with long hair and a tall form.  Clothed in blue jeans and a yellow shirt.  And Ruki was so close.

She let out a groan, unable to move yet.

Ruki whirled about and her sight fell upon the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.  Her long golden hair and perfect form…but who was she?

The blue eyes…_those_ eyes.  The eyes that had sworn to protect her.

"Renamon?" Ruki questioned softly, cautiously.

The woman stared at Ruki, and then sat up.  Just as suddenly as she had sat up, the woman reached out, pulled Ruki close…

And the two kissed each other.

When they drew away, Ruki smiled—the first time she ever had in happiness.  Renamon smiled as well, and shifted back into digimon form.

Mage stood atop a telephone pole, their—her—staff in hand.  She watched the two lovers vanish as Renamon shifted to her digimon form, picked Ruki up, and leapt away to take her home.

"May you live together in love." she murmured with a smile, "Lord Baihumon, I come home to you."

And just as strangely as she had appeared from nowhere, Mage vanished in flash of light.

May you live together in love.

—_end—_


End file.
